1. Field
The following description relates to an optical switch, and more particularly, to a total reflection type optical switch using polymer insertion type silica optical waveguide and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
For an optical device used in an optical communications network system, a Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) device is generally used.
One of the main characteristics of a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) device is that it could be integrated together with selectable functions such as the transmitting and accessing function, rooting, switching, attenuating and programmable filtering etc.
Such a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) device uses silicon dioxide (SiO2), so called silica, for optical waveguides to have excellent loss characteristics.
A general polymer total reflection type optical switch installs a heater in a central part of optical waveguides intersecting one another. The heater heats a part of the optical waveguides. Due to the changes in temperature of the optical waveguides, refraction indexes of optical waveguide material change as well, causing the total reflection phenomenon.